Menaion

August 15

Great feastTHE DORMITION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD AND EVER- VIRGIN MARY. Tradition relates that the Mother of God died in Jerusalem, after a visit with all of Christ’s apostles. They carried her coffin to the Garden of Gethsemane where it was placed into a tomb. The apostle Thomas came late, and asked that the tomb might be opened so that he could reverence her body. When opened, the tomb was found empty except for the winding sheet.

At Vespers

music (samohlasen)

“Blessed is the man” is sung. There are eight stichera at "O Lord, I have cried":

Tone 1, special melody O divnoje čudo. O what a wonder! * The Source of Life is placed in a tomb; * the grave becomes a ladder to heaven. * Rejoice, Gethsemane, holy chamber of the Theotokos! * As for us, O faithful, * let us cry out with Gabriel, the prince of angels: * Rejoice, O woman full of grace, the Lord is with you, * the Lord, who because of you, * bestows great mercy upon the world. (three times)

O Lady, marvelous are your mysteries. * You have become the throne of the Most High, * and today you are taken from earth to heaven. * Your glory shines forth with the radiance of divine grace * and surpasses every other splendor. * Rise up to the heavens, all you virgins, * together with the Mother of our King, and cry out: * Rejoice, O woman full of grace, the Lord is with you, * the Lord, who because of you, * bestows great mercy upon the world. (three times)

Behold, all the heavenly hosts, * the Dominations, Thrones, and Principalities, * Virtues, Powers, Cherubim, and Seraphim, * sing a hymn of glory to your Dormition. * The entire human race rejoices at your glory; * and kings, together with the Angels and Archangels, sing out to you: * Rejoice, O woman full of grace, the Lord is with you, * the Lord, who because of you, * bestows great mercy upon the world. (twice)

Glory, now and ever –  Tone 1.  The holy apostles were taken up from every corner of the world * and carried upon clouds by the command of God. * They gathered around your pure body, O Source of Life, * and kissed it with reverence. * As for the most sublime powers of heaven, * they came with their own leader * to escort and to pay their last respects to the most honorable body * that had contained Life itself. * Filled with awe, they marched together with the apostles in silent majesty, * professing to the princes of heaven in a hushed voice: * Lift up your gates and receive, with becoming majesty, * the Mother of the Light that never fades, * because, through her, salvation was made possible for our human race. * She is the One upon whom no one may gaze, * and to whom no one is able to render sufficient glory; * for the special honor that made her sublime is beyond understanding. * Therefore, O most pure Theotokos, * forever alive with your Son, the Source of Life, * do not cease to intercede with Him * that he may guard and save your people from every trouble; * for you are our intercessor. * To you we sing a hymn of glory * with loud and joyful voices, now and forever.

Entrance with censer, and prokeimenon of the day.  Then three readings:

A reading from Genesis (Genesis 28:10-17).

A reading from the Prophecy of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 43:27 - 44:4)

A reading from Proverbs (Proverbs 9:1-11).

A reading from the Prophecy of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 43:27 - 44:4).

Stichera at the Litija:

Tone 1 Bolhar. Because the disciples had been both the eyewitnesses and servants of the Word, * it was also fitting that they should witness the final mystery, * the Dormition of his mother according to the flesh. * They not only saw the ascension of the Savior from earth to heaven, * but they also were witnesses of the translation of the Mother who bore him. * They came to Zion to escort the Virgin, who surpasses the Cherubim, * as she hastened in her journey to heaven. * With them let us also bow low * before the One who intercedes for our souls.

Tone 2 Bolhar. She is higher than the heavens, * more glorious than the Cherubim, * and more honorable than all creation. * Her outstanding purity became the dwelling place of the eternal divinity. * Today she places her all-pure soul into the hands of her Son. * With her, the universe is filled with joy, * and the grace of salvation is given to us.

The most pure Spouse, the Mother of the One in whom the Father is well-pleased, * she whom God had chosen to become the dwelling place of his natures * that had been united without confusion, * today delivers her most pure soul to her divine Creator. * The angels welcome her in a divine manner, * and the Mother of Life is now transferred to life. * She is the lamp of the inaccessible brightness, * the hope of our souls, and the salvation of believers.

Tone 3. Come, all you ends of the earth, * let us praise the blessed passing of the Mother of God. * She delivers her sinless soul into the hands of her Son; * through her holy Dormition the world is given new life. * With psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, * the whole world celebrates in joy * together with the angels and apostles.

Glory –  Tone 5 Bolhar. Come, all you lovers of the feast, * let us form choirs and fill the Church with our hymns * in honor of the falling asleep of the Ark of God. * Today heaven Indeed opens its bosom * to receive the Mother of the One whom the universe cannot contain. * The earth gives back the Source of Life * and receives the blessing of the Lord. * The choir of angels and apostles look with awe * as they see the One who gave birth to the Prince of Life * now herself pass from life to life. * Let us all bow together before her and say: * O Lady, do not forget the children of your house * who celebrate your holy Dormition in faith.

Now and ever –  in the same tone. O people, sing to the Mother of our God; * for, on this day, she delivers her radiant soul into the most pure hands * of the One who took flesh of her without seed. * In his presence she intercedes unceasingly * that he grant peace and great mercy to the world.

The aposticha are for the feast:

Tone 4 samohlasen.  All you peoples of the earth * sing together a hymn of glory * to the pure and most holy Virgin * from whom the Word of God came to us, * receiving flesh from her in a manner beyond understanding. * Let us cry out: Blessed are you among women, * and blessed is your womb that contained Christ, * into whose hands you committed your soul. * O pure Virgin, intercede with Christ God that He may save our souls!

Go up, Lord, to your rest, you and your holy ark.

With all the people of the earth, * let us sing to Christ the hymn of praise that David had sung of old. * Together with her escort of virgins, * with happiness and rejoicing, she will be led to the King; * for the fruit of David's seed, * the One through whom we have been led to God, * has been lifted up to glory by her Son and Master * in a way that defies description. * Since she is the Mother of God, * we sing to her a hymn of glory and cry out: * Deliver us from all harm and guard our souls from tribulations. * We confess and proclaim that you are the Theotokos.

The Lord swore a true oath to David; he will not go back on his word.

O pure and most holy Virgin, * the choirs of angels in heaven and the assembly of people on earth * sing the praises of your glorious Dormition; * for you have become the Mother of the Creator of all, Christ our God. * We beg you to intercede constantly for us; * for, next to God, we have placed our hope in you, * O most glorious and ever-virgin Theotokos.

The Basilian Festal Menaion has reversed the second and third apostichera.

Glory, now and ever – Tone 4.  O virgin Theotokos, * at the time you were carried up to the One born of you * in a manner beyond understanding, * James and Peter were present; * James, the brother of the Lord and first bishop, * and Peter, the honorable head of the apostles and prince of theologians. * The whole college of apostles was also there, * all in one accord proclaiming things divine, * praising the astounding mystery of Christ, * and with joy, preparing your body, O most glorious One, * source of Life and the temple of God. * The most holy angelic powers * were rapt in wonder at the sight of this miracle, * and they said to each other: * Lift up your gates to receive the Mother of the Creator of heaven and earth. * Come, let us all sing hymns to her noble and holy body * that has contained the invisible Lord. * Therefore, we also celebrate your feast; * and, O woman worthy of all praise, we cry out: * O glorious Lady, exalt the Christian peoples * and intercede with Christ God that he may save our souls.

Troparion,  Tone 1.  O Theotokos, in giving birth you preserved virginity; * and in your falling asleep you did not forsake the world. * You are the Mother of Life and have been transferred to life, * and through your prayers * you deliver our souls from death. (three times)

At the Divine Liturgy

music

Troparion,  Tone 1.  O Theotokos, in giving birth you preserved virginity; * and in your falling asleep you did not forsake the world. * You are the Mother of Life and have been transferred to life, * and through your prayers * you deliver our souls from death.

Glory, now and ever – Kontakion, Tone 2.   The grave and death did not detain the Theotokos. * She intercedes without rest and is our unfailing hope of protection; * for he who dwelt in the womb of the Ever-Virgin, * transferred to life the Mother of Life.

Prokeimenon, Tone 3 (Luke 1:46-48). My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
V. For he has looked with favor upon the humility of his servant; from this day forward, all generations will call me blessed.

Epistle:  Philippians 2:5-11

Alleluia, Tone 8 (Ps. 44:11,13). Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
V. Go up, Lord, to your rest, you and your holy ark.
V. The Lord swore a true oath to David; he will not go back on his word.

Gospel:  Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28

Magnification. The angels were struck with amazement, * beholding the dormition of the Most Pure, * seeing how the Virgin was taken up from earth to heaven.

Irmos, Tone 1. The limits of nature * are overcome in you, O pure Virgin, * for birth-giving remains virginal, * and death is the prelude to life: * a virgin after childbearing and alive after death! * You ever save your inheritance, O Theotokos.

Communion Hymn (Ps. 115:4). I shall take the chalice of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!